


NovaWeek Day 1 - Family - For His Mother a Moon

by bullbasaurusrex20



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Nova (Comics)
Genre: Mother and Son Bonding, Other, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 16:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8760943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bullbasaurusrex20/pseuds/bullbasaurusrex20
Summary: Eva Alexander waits late at night for her son Sam Alexander to come back home, but today is a special day for Eva, and Sam made sure to make the most of it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It is so great to be writing for an event like #NovaWeek. I hope you guys enjoy reading this. I can't wait to see what everyone else does!

The stars shined brightly on the humble town of Carefree. It was the middle of the night on a Wednesday so people fell asleep nice and early to get to the weekend sooner. However, in one small house a single mother sat in her kitchen wide awake, hoping one of the stars would come down to get his sleep too. Another night for Eva Alexander waiting for her space-adventuring son to get home. 

Eva didn’t turn on any of the lights so she could avoid having to pay more for her electricity bill, so instead she lit a candle, lemon-lavender flavor like on her honeymoon. She sat at the table where her precious family had eaten together for so many meals. Where her son Sam would be to her right, listening to his family’s conversation and speaking up when he felt the urge, and her daughter Kaelynn would be to her left, chatting to everyone about the wonders of her day at school and her time with friends. Across from her would be her husband Jesse, spinning out wild and cosmic tales about things too crazy for a regular school janitor to make up but she knew in her heart to be true, but now, since Sam became Nova months ago, it sits at the table empty, collecting dust. In the middle of it all sat an empty vase brought out once a year, collecting dust like that chair. Eva didn’t even know why she took it out, besides the reason for tradition and all, which was moot since Jesse wasn’t around to complete the task. The scene should have felt romantic, especially considering what today was for Eva, but right now she felt lonely and grew a little worried with each little second.

Then, she spotted a small blue light from the window outside, one that stood out from the white lights in Carefree’s skies. It started blinking and grew brighter and bigger, like it was getting closer, until flash and a knock came at the door. 

‘There he is,’ Eva thought to herself, ‘My little star is finally home.’

Eva breathed a well-deserved sigh of relief. She got up from her chair and walked toward the door as the usual quiet worries raced through her head. What did he do today? Were his friends keeping him safe? Could there be an emergency? Did any thugs attack him or follow him on the way here? Did he bring a space virus with him? Would his helmet be broken again? Did he have a black eye? A broken leg? A lost arm? 

Was she going to open the door and see her baby all in one piece?

Keeping all of this to herself like she did on every other night, Eva grasped the door handle, turned it, and opened it wide to see if any of her worries came true.

Thankfully they didn’t.

“Hey Mom,” Sam whispered while carrying a backpack for the weirdest reason. He still wore the black helmet his father passed down to him before disappearing with the red star on his forehead and the three Nova Corps circles on his chest. “I’m sorry I’m home late. There was a monster incident at Utah that led to a whole thing in space that took way longer than expected. What’s up?” Sam probably whispered to not wake up the neighbors even though subtlety is hard hard to keep up in the crowded, suburban part of town when you’re a human rocket. Eva wouldn’t be surprised if any of her friends had at least a slight suspicion.

“Everything is fine Sam your sister is sleeping,” Eva grabbed Sam’s shoulder and hurried him into the house, “Come on mijito get inside I don’t want you waking anybody up.”

Sam went along with his mother and looked around his home, still standing strong for another day. Every time he went out as Nova, he worried if the house would still be in one piece if he came back. Good to know everything is alright.

“While I understand you need to go out to space every once in awhile, Sam,” Eva said, “You have to realize you can’t stay out so late. This is why I like you here on Earth where I can at least call you or see you on the news.” Eva walked into the kitchen to put out the lemon-lavender candle, her only company for the night, before going to bed. “I actually saw something about that Utah monster on the news. Apparently it was a mutant monarch butterfly. You should tell Kaelynn about it; monarchs are her favorite.” She picked up the candle.

“Actually crickets are her new favorite bug of the week,” Sam said before Eva could blow the candle out, “Alongside her new favorite mammal of the week: the possum.” He held up one of his self-satisfied grins, “I haven't fought one of those yet.”

“Oh really?” asked Eva still holding the candle.

“Yeah, Kaelynn told me about them when I dropped her off at school today. Really loving the animal stuff right now. How was work?”

“Oh it was the same old same old today. Everything went steady. Oh by the way, another UFO nut popped up at the diner. You should keep from blasting off for the next few days.” Eva held up the candle to blow out.

“Alright mom I’ll do my best,” Sam said keeping eye contact with his mother.

Eva began to giggle before blowing the candle.

“What?” asked Sam still grinning.

“Oh it’s just that you remind me of your father. We’d go through the same thing when he was Nova and I was pregnant with you. It’s funny how you two have become so similar since you started wearing that helmet.”

Sam looked down and opened up his backpack. “Actually,” he said shyly, “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about Dad, before I go to bed.”

“Sure what is it sweetie?” Eva asked with concern.

“I know what today is for you,” Sam gestured at the table. “I know why you brought out that vase. Every year, dad would go out and get roses to put in that vase to celebrate your day, your anniversary. I know how much Dad meant to you, and I know how hard it’s been without him in the house. And while I know these aren’t roses,” Sam reached into his backpack and took out five slender white flowers that glowed like the beautiful full moon, “I thought that these would look pretty special in the house.”

Eva held her hand up to her mouth in shock, and putting the candle down, she walked forward and embraced her son with all the warmth and love she could’ve mustered. God, she wasn't expecting this.

“Thank you so much Sam,” Ava said holding back any sad emotion.

“You’re welcome Mom,” Sam said doing the same. “It’s just that Dad was Nova, and now I’m Nova and I felt that I needed to do some of the same things he did that weren't saving the world.” He hugged her back and, reluctantly separating himself from her, he placed the flowers in the empty vase before going to the sink. “They’re called Moon Irises by the way. From a planet called Greconian-7 if you could believe it.”

Eva was so touched. By God did her son really grow up this fast? It was as if it was only yesterday when Sam was still her naive little boy when he still considered being Nova a fairy tale his dad made up. Before all of his adventures joining the Avengers and the Champions and whoever else needed him when he could help. Now he’s doing the things his father did for her when they were young and newlywed. She wondered what Jessie would have said to this, if he were still here. Would he laugh? Would he cry? Would he be happy? Would he have hugged Sam too? So many questions she felt too emotional to answer for herself.

However, one thought at the back of her mind bothered her.

“I do have to ask Sam,” Eva said. “How did you find the time and place to get these flowers?”

“Oh, okay Mom,” Sam silently filled the vase half-full with water and carefully walked toward the table, the blossoms glowing a brighter white with each of his steps. Placing the vase at the table, as if by fate or the fact he didn’t know any better, he sat at his father’s chair, the one where Jesse used to tell his Nova tales and said, “Oh you won’t believe half of the story if I told you. There was a crabman pirate, bat dragons, an asteroid worm, Starjammers, a gold ship, and there might’ve been an Infinity Stone and a… Wait, do you have enough time to hear this? I know you have to go to work and I don’t want to be a bother and keep you up even later.”

Eva, starstruck, walked back toward the table and sat at the chair she would sit in. She smiled and at the brink of tears, thankfully hidden by the darkness and faint light of the candle, said, “Yes I do. I would love to hear it, Samuel.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this story! Please let me know what you think about my writing and how I can improve in the future. Have a great day.


End file.
